Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42563397›Full record

ReviewMedical physics2026

Generative AI, foundation models and large language models in radiation therapy physics: Clinical applications, challenges, and future directions.

X Sharon Qi, Yi Wang, Xiaofeng Yang, Lei Ren, Wei Liu, Stanley H Benedict, Ying Xiao, Lei Xing, Issam M El Naqa

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Medical physics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

X Sharon QiDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Yi WangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Xiaofeng YangDepartment of Radiation Oncology and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Lei RenDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Wei LiuDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Stanley H BenedictDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Ying XiaoDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Lei XingDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
Issam M El NaqaMachine Learning & Radiation Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, USA.

Funding

Optimal Decision Making in Radiotherapy Using Panomics AnalyticsR01CA233487 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI EL NAQA, ISSAM M. · 2019 to 2023
$2.4M
Dose Linear Energy Transfer Volume Histogram and Dosimetric Seed Spot Analysis in Spot Scanning Proton TherapyR01CA280134 · NCI · MAYO CLINIC ARIZONA · PI Wei Liu · 2024 to 2026
$1.7M
Online Adaptive Proton TherapyR01EB293388 · NIBIB · MAYO CLINIC ARIZONA · PI Wei Liu · 2025 to 2026
$1.3M
Leveraging Multimodal Signatures to Personalize Rectal Cancer Radiotherapy ChoiceR01CA300548 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · PI Xiangrong Qi · 2026 to 2026
$518k
NCI NIH HHS R01 CA233487NCI NIH HHS R01 CA280134NCI NIH HHS R01 CA300548NIBIB NIH HHS R01 EB293388NIH HHS R01CA280134NIH HHS R01CA300548NIH HHS R01EB293388U.S. Department of Defense W81XWH-22-1-0276
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Generative AI (Gen AI), Foundation Models (FMs), and Large Language Models (LLMs) are powerful emerging technologies that demonstrate exceptional capabilities in processing vast amounts of unstructured and structured data, including text, voice, images, video and other formats, and adapting to a wide range of specific tasks. Their immense potential to drive meaningful improvements in treatment outcomes is increasingly evident. The advent of these technologies has marked a transformative era in healthcare, including the fields of radiation oncology and medical physics. Specifically, these powerful technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to analyze domain-specific data, process and synthesize medical images, automate routine tasks, support clinical decision-making, optimize and streamline clinical workflows, and enhance the quality of clinical trials. While these emerging technologies present new opportunities to revolutionize radiation therapy practice, their implementation also raises important educational, ethical, and regulatory considerations. This scoping review highlights benefits, promises, risks, and challenges, such as interpretability, data privacy, regulatory compliance, reproducibility, hallucination, and integration into existing clinical workflow. Finally, emerging opportunities are outlined to guide future research directions. This review paper provides a timely overview of Gen AI, FMs and LLMs, aiming to inform medical physicists, clinicians, and researchers of the evolving role of these disruptive technologies in shaping the future of radiation therapy.

Indexed as

Generative Artificial IntelligenceLarge Language ModelsRadiotherapyHumansfoundation modelsgenerative AIlarge language modelsradiation therapy physics

Identifiers

PMID42563397
PMCPMC13448089

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.